Wrapping apparatus for irregular bundles



Aug- 29, 1967 J. HARRISON ETAL 3,338,025

WRAPPING APPARATUS FOR IRREGULAR BUNDLES Filed oct. 15, 1964 5sheets-sheet 1 (D um Q M mw@ Q/ ou Si O3 lo ml S H Q Rg* Nl w L a l U-Q- k* n) l. ,ml

ATTORNEYS Aug- 29,1967 J. HARRISON ETAL 3,338,025

WRAPPING APPARATUS FOR IRREGULAR BUNDLES Filed Oct. l5, 1964 5Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug 29, 1967 J. HARRISON ETAL 3,338,25

WRAPPING APPARATUS FOR IRREGULAR BUNDLES Filed OCJ. l5, 1964 5Sheets-Sheet 5 Aug. 29, 1967 J. HARRISON ETAL WRAPPING APPARATUS FORIRREGULAR BUNDLES Filed 0G12. l5, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Aug. 29, 1967 1.HARRISON ETAL 3,333,025

' WRAPPING APPARATUS FOR IRREGULAR BUNDLES Filed Oct. .15, 1964 5Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent 3,338,025 WRAPPING APPARATUS FORIRREGULAR BUNDLES James Harrison, Thorn Hill, Ontario, Canada, and PeterW. Jopling, Katonall, N.Y., a'ssignors to General Strapping Company, NewYork, N.Y.

Filed Oct. 15, 1964, Ser. No. 404,134 Claims. (Cl. 53-230) ABSTRACT 0FTHE DISCLOSURE The disclosed apparatus for wrapping irregular bundlesincludes a conveyor for moving the bundle through successive Wrappingoperations lwherein rolled sheet material is cut to the proper length bya timed transverse cutter. With the cut sheet in a U-shape around thebundle the sheet is urged tightly over the top and around the bundle bya sled-like top plate which is suspended for' freely conforming thebundle top. Spring urged side paddles pull the wrapper along the sidesof the bundle to form upper and lower flaps. The lower aps on each sideof the bundle are then cammed upwardly by curved ap folders each havinga knurled roller inclined in the direction opposite to the path ofmovement of the bundle to urge the bottom flaps upwardly about thebundle as the side aps are folded up into position. Similar t-op ilapfolders with rollers inclined opposite to the bundle move ment similarlyfold and urge the top flaps downwardly about the bundle. The bundle isthus folded on ve sides and may be bound by a wire or rope tying machinewith the extending wrapper material on the sixth side being folded byhand or by subsequent apparatus.

This invention relates to apparatus for wrapping and more particularlyto such apparatus which Will tightly wrap bundles having rectangularproportions or having one or more sides slightly varying fromrectangular.

This invention relates to improvements in the apparatus disclosed incopending application, Ser. No. 233,406 led Oct. 26, 1962 now Patent No.3,238,697 issued Mar. 8, 1966 and assigned to the assignee of theinstant application.

There are a number of prior art Wrapping machines for wrapping bundles,cartons or objects of varying sizes. Such prior art machines, however,have been designed to wrap a bundle or object having uniform shape withthe bottom, top and sides of each succeeding bundle having the sameregular rectangular sides. For certain bundles, however, the shape ofthe bundles may vary so that one or more sides of a bundle will betrapezoidal in shape.

'I'hus the bundle may vary in height from front to back or in width fromside to side. Such bundles are diicult to wrap tightly in prior artautomatic wrapping machines.

If the bundles are loosely wrapped the wrappings tend to tear much morereadily when the bundles are handled. Loosely wrapped bundles are alsomore dicult to handle and stack.

Accordingly it is an object of the invention to provide apparatus forWrapping bundles.

Another object of the invention is to provide Wrapping apparatus of theabove character wherein wrapping operations may be continuouslyperformed.

A further object of the invention is to provide Wrap- 3,338,025 PatentedAug. 29, 1967 ICC ping apparatus of the above character wherein wrappingmaterial is urged around the bundle as it is wrapped.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the abovecharacter for Wrapping bundles which may be only approximatelyrectangular on one or more sides.

A further object of the invention is to provide wrapping apparatus ofthe above character which is more eicient in operation and relativelyinexpensive to manufacture and maintain.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in partappear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the several steps and the relationof one -or more of such steps with respect to each of the others, andthe apparatus embodying features of construction, combination ofelements and arrangements of parts which are adapted to effect suchsteps, all as exemplified in the following `detailed disclosure, and thescope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention,reference should be had to the following detailed description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side view in partial section of a bundle wrappingapparatus made in accordance with the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a top View of the apparatus sho-wn in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged top sectional view taken along lines 3-3 ofFIGURE 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged end sectional view taken along lines 4 4 ofFIGURE l and looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged partial view of a side flap folder,

FIGURE 6 is a schematic perspective view of a side flap folder engaginga side llap on a partially wrapped bundle.

FIGURES 7a-d are schematic sequential views of a bundle in succeedingstages undergoing wrapping.

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the severalviews of the drawings.

Referring now to FIGURES 1 and 7a-d, it will bev seen that the apparatusof the present invention comprises conveyor means 10, 12 for moving abundle 18 through the apparatus, a wrapper feed assembly 14 and awrapping station 16 for wrapping a Vbundle on five sides as shown inFIGURES 7a-d.

As shown in FIGURES 1 and 7a-d, a bundle 18 is moved into a wrappingpaper 20 by conveyors 10, 12 to form the wrapper in a U-shape around thebundle as shown in FIGURE 7a. As the bundle and wrapper are movedthrough wrapping station 16, first folds 22 are made along the sides ofthe bundle as shown in FIGURE 7b, leaving lower and upper flaps 24 and26, respectively.

the rst folds 22 are made at wrapping station 16 -by spring urgedpaddles 30, 31 on each side of the bundle as it moves on conveyor 12.Lower flaps 24 are folded paddles 30, 31, and flap folders 32, 33 and34, 35 all coact to tighten the Wrapper around the bundle as it movesthrough the wrapping station 16 of the apparatus.

In general, the operation of the wrapping machine is as follows. Asshown in FIGURE l, rolls 3S, 40 supply a double paper wrapper 42 whichis fed downwardly through wrapper guide 44. The end of the wrapperactuates limitswitch arm 46 to operate cutter assembly 48 to cut thewrapper at the desired length. Although the machine is shown applying adouble wrapper, a single wrapper is fed, cut and folded in the samemanner.

As the bundle 18 is moved on conveyor 10, it is passed through anopening 67 in the Wrapper guide 44 to pull the cut wrapper sheets fromthe guide as the bundle is transfered to conveyor 12. Thus initially,the Wrapper is disposed about the bundle in a U-shape from front to backas shown in FIGURE 7 a.

vThe bundle and wrappers are then moved by conveyor 12 through thewrapping station 16 and the front of the U-wrapped bundle is engaged byfirst folding paddles 30, 31 as seen in FIGURES 3 and 4. The foldingpaddles 30, 31 are spring urged against the bundle to pull in the firstfolds 22 as seen in FIGURE 7b.

As shown in FIGURE 1, the top plate 36 has already engaged the top ofthe U-wrapped bundle at this point and tightens the wrappers around thebundle in its U- shaped `configuration as the bundle and wrappers aremoved under the top plate. Thus as the bundle is moved through wrappingstation 16, the top plate 36 and forming paddles 30, 31 all pull thewrapper morey tightly around the bundle as it is moved by conveyor 12.

With the bundle and wrapper in the configuration shown in FIGURE 7b, thelower flaps 24 are folded upwardly about the bundle, as shown in FIGURE7c, by the camming action of fiap'folders 32, 33 (FIGURES 1 and 3). Thetop flaps 26 are then folded downwardly in like manner by the cammingaction of flap folders 34, 35 as the bundle continues to be moved byconveyor 12 to assume the configuration shown in FIGURE 7d. Durthefolding of flaps 24 and 26 the bundle is under the pressure of to'pplate 36 and the wrapper is being urged tightly around the bundle fromfront to back by friction of the top plate against the wrappers on thebundle top. The side flaps 24 and 26 are also urged tightly around thebundle as they are folded and held in a manner which will be describedmore fully hereinafter. After the bundle is wrapped as shown in FIGURE7d, a conveyor 50 carries the bundle into tying apparatus (not shown)and then to further apparatus (not shown) for closing the open end 28.

The invention will now be described in more detail. Referring to FIGURES1 and 2, the wrapper feed assembly 14 supplies individual sheets ofwrapper from one or more rolls of wrapper material, such as paper, cutsthe wrapper to the desired length and positions the wrapper forengagement With a bundle. The Wrapper rolls 38, 40 are driven by driveassembly 52 which is operated in synchronism with the conveyors 10, 12and in response to switch 54 and photocell switch 70. From the rolls 38,40 the paper wrapper passes between roller pairs 56, 58

Y which may be driven by drive motor 60 in synchronism with theconveyors 10, 12 and also controlled by switches 54 and 70. Between theroller pairs 56, 58 is a printing device 62 for printing identication orshipping data on the bundle wrap.

A wrapper cutter assembly 48 comprises a rotatable cutter Wheel 64 whichis driven transversely across the wrapper to cut it to desired length inresponse to actuation of switch 54. Cutter wheel 64 is slidable along atrack 66 by a pneumatic cylinder 68 and cuts the wrapper or wrapperswhen moving in either transverse direction.

The operation of the paper feed assembly is thus as follows. With thewrapper guide 44 empty and cutter wheel 54 at one end of track 66, theroll drive assembly 52 and roller pair drive motor 60 are energized byphotocell switch 70 to move one or more sheets Vof wrapper through thewrapper guide 44 until the switch arm 46 of switch 54 is actuated. Atthis time the drive assembly 52 and drive motor 60 are deenergized andthe wrapper cutting assembly is actuated. Cutter 64 is rapidly movedtransversely of the wrapper to cut a wrapper piece to the proper length.The cut piece of wrapping paper is then removed from the wrapper guide44 by a bundle 18 through opening 67 in the guide 44. As the cut wrapperis removed from the guide, the reinsertion of a wrapper sheet from rolls38, 40 is instituted by actuation of drive assembly 52 and drive motor60 by release of switch arm 46 of switch 54 and by photocell switch 70.

As shown in FIGURE 1, the bundle 18 moving from lleft to right has movedthrough opening 67 of the wrapper feed assembly and is now surrounded onthree sides, top, front and bottom, by a wrapper in a U-shapedconfiguration. As shown in FIGURE 1, the Wrapper engages the frontportion 72 of top plate 36 and the first folding paddles 30, 31 at aboutthe same time as the bundle is being moved from left to right onconveyor 12. Folding paddles 30, I31 are supported by arms 74, 76piv-oted at 78, v80, respectively. Springs 82, 84 and shock absorbers86, 88, respectively, provide pressure on paddles 30, 31 to fold thewrapper tightly about the bundle to make the rst fold as shown in FIGURE7b.

As shown in FIGURE 4, the first fold paddles 30 and 31 are approximatelythe same height as that of the bundle to be wrapped. Thus, as the bundlecarrying the U- shaped wrapper passes through the first forming paddles30, 31 and under top plate 36, the creasesv27, 29 will bel adjacent thebundle edges to define lower aps 24 and upper fiaps 26. As shown inFIGURE 4, the lower ap folders 32, 33 are just beginning to fold lowerflaps 24 upwardly about the bundle.

As shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, the top plate 36 is suspended from fourpoints 90, with springs 92 resiliently supporting the top plate fromframe work 94 by rods 96 passing through enlarged openings 98 inframework 94 (FIGURE 2). It is importantV that the openings 98 besuiciently large to permit universal vertical movement of the top plate36 as the bundle moves thereunder, without binding of rods 96. This isparticularly important if the bundles to be wrapped are -of unevenheight from front to back or from side to side, or if both suchirregularities should be present in the bundle. In the event of such anirregular bundle, the top plate 36 will conform to the position -of thebundle top surface to urge the paper tightly over the bundle top and upacross the bundle front. Conformation of the topplate to the bundle topalso positions the upper flap folders 34, 35 as will be more fullyexplained hereinafter. The top plate 36 thus rides on the Wrapper withsome friction which tugs the wrapper around the bundle and conforms thewrapper to the plane of the bundle top.

As the bundle proceeds from left to right, as shownV in FIGURES 1 and 2,lower flap folders 32, 33 are next encountered t-o upwardly fold flaps24 as shown in FIG- URE 7c.

As best seen in FIGURES l, 3, 5 and 6, flap folders 32, 33 have upsweptplow-shaped plates 100, 101, respectively, which arepivoted at 102 and103, respectively. Spring assemblies 104, 105 urge the`end 106, 107 ofthe flap folders into engagement with the bundle and wrapper as thebundle is moved past the folder. Each ap folder is provided with aroller 108, 109 journalled from supports 110, 111 so that the knurledsurface 112, 113 of theroller protrudes toward the bundle beyond theedges 114,y 115 A for engagement with the lower flaps 24 after the flapis initially turned upwardly by a front portion 11.6, 117 of the folderas shown in FIGURE 6. The flaps 24 are also pulled upwardly around the-bundle by the urging of rollers 108, 109 since the roller tops 108:1,109a are inclined to 15 degrees from the vertical in a directionopposite to the movement of bundle 18 as it passes through the wrappingstation. Due to this roller inclination and the fact that the rollersprotrude from edges 114, 115, the rollers ride on the side iiaps 24after initial creasing by front portions 116, 117, to urge the iiapsupwardly and pull them tightly around the bundle. The knurled surfaces112, 113 provide gripping as the aps 24 are urged upwardly around thebundle. The rollers also greatly reduce friction on the aps 24 andreduce the pushing of flap 24 backwardly, which would tend to open theap and result in a loosely wrapped bundle.

As shown in FIGURES 1 `and 2, upper flap folders 34, 35 having rollers118, 119 operate in the same manner on the top flap 26 (FIGURES 7c, d)and are encountered after the folding of lower flaps 24 has begun. Therollers 118, 119 of the upper flap folders are both inclined 10 to l5degrees from the vertical With the lower end of the roller inclinedtoward the approaching bundle. Thus the inclination of rollers 118, 119urges liaps 26 downwardly around the bundle in the same manner that therollers 108, 109 urge lower liaps 24 upwardly around the bundle as therespective flaps are folded.

Flap folders 34, 35 are mounted on the underside of top plate 36 atpivots 120, 121 and are urged by spring `assemblies 122, 123 intoengagement with the upper bundle flap. Thus the upper ap folders 34, 35ride with the top plate 36, and if the bundle varies in height fromfront to back, these folders 34, 35 will conform to the bundleirregularity and fold the wrapper along the upper bundle edges 'whileurging the wrapper flaps downaround each side of the bundle. Even if thebundle varies in height from :side to side the suspended top plate 36will conform to the upper surface of the bundle, carrying the upper apfolders with it so that the upper ap crease on the low side will conformto the bundle edge.

After leaving upper tiap folders 34, 35, the bundle is wrapped as shownin FIGURE 7d and is then moved on conveyor 50 (FIG. l) to a wire tyingmachine (not shown) which ties flaps 24, 26 in place. The open end 28 isthen closed and sealed either manually or by further automatic wrappingapparatus (not shown).

I'he machine is particularly adapted to handling large and bulkybundles, such as bundles of paper pulp. Such bundles of pulp may weigh,for example, 300 to 500 pounds and are composed of stacks of pulpsheets. Since the dimensions of the pulp sheets are not closelymaintained, the bundles vary in height or width from bundle to bundle orfrom end to end or side to side of the same bundle. Because of theurging of the wrapper more tightly around the bundle by the top plate36, paddles 30, 31 and by the upper and lower liap folders 32, 33, 34,35 machine of my invention will wrap such bundles having one or moreirregularly shaped sides, as well as wrapping regular and uniformlyshaped bundles.

It will thus be seen that the objects lset forth above, among those madeapparent from the preceding description, are eliiciently yattained and,since certain changes may be made in carrying out the above method andin the construction set forth without departing from the scope of theinvention, it is intended that all matter contained in the abovedescription or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpretedas illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that Ithe following claims Vare intended tocover all of the generic and specific features of the invention which,as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. Wrapping apparatus for folding a wrapper sheet about a bundle :at aWrapping station, comprising, in combinationf (A) conveyor means formoving a bundle through a wrapping station;

(B) a wrapper guide positioned adjacent the wrapping station,

(l) and having means forming an opening for permitting a bundle to beconveyed therethrough;

(C) wrapper feed means for intermittently advancing Wrapper sheetmaterial through said Wrapper guide;

(D) a wrapper cutter positioned adjacent said wrapper guide comprising,

(l) a cutter member mounted for movement across a wrapper in saidwrapper guide, and

(2) timed means for moving said cutter member to cut said wrapper to theproper length;

(E) a top plate suspended at the wrapping station,

( l) said top plate being universally vertically movable by a bundlepassing thereunder;

(F) rst fold paddles -urged against each side of the bundle as it passesinto the wrapping station;

(G) a lower side ilap folder on each side of the bundle at the wrappingstation,

(l) said lower flap folders being resiliently urged into engagement withlower aps on each side of the bundle formed yafter engagement with saidrst fold paddles,

(2) means on said lower flap folders for continually urging the loweraps of the bundle upwardly Vabout the bundle during engagementtherewith;

(H) an upper side flap holder mounted on said top plate on each side ofthe bundle at the wrapping station,

(l) said upper tiap folders being resiliently urged into engagement withthe upper flaps on each side of the bundle formed after engagement Withsaid first fold paddles,

(2) and means on said upper liap folders for continually urging theupper flaps of the bundle downwardly around the bundle during engagementtherewith.

2. The wrapping apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said top plate hasa lower bundle-contacting surface extending over the bundle duringsuccessive engagement with said first folding paddles and duringengagement with said lower and upper side flap folders.

3, In wrapping apparatus for folding a wrapper sheet about a bundle at aWrapping station, the combination of:

(A) conveyor means for moving a bundle through a wrapping station;

(B) Wrapper positioning means for initially placing a wrapper around abundle in a U-shaped position; (C) ya top plate suspended at thewrapping station,

(l) said top plate being universally vertically movable by a bundlepassing thereunder;

(D) first fold paddles urged against each side of the bundle as itpasses into the wrapping station;

(E) a lower side liap folder on each side of the bundle at the wrappingstation,

(l) said lower ap folders being resiliently urged into engagement withlower liaps on each side of the bundle formed after engagement with saidirst fold paddles,

(2) means on saidlower ap folders for continually urging the lower apsof the bundle upwardly about the bundle during engagement therewith;

(F) an upper flap folder mounted on said top plate on each side of thebundle at the wrapping station,

(l) said upper flap folders being resiliently urged into engagement withthe upper flaps on each 7 side of the bundle formed after engagementwith said rst fold paddles,

(2) and means on said upper ap folders for continually urging the upperflaps of the bundle downwardly around the bundle during engagementtherewith.

4. The combination defined in claim 3 wherein the means on said lowerand upper side flap folders for urging the side aps about the bundlecomprises:

(G) a rotatable roller,

(l) positioned to bear against a side ap after an initial fold is made,

(2) said roller being inclined in a plane parallel to the path of bundlemovement,

(a) with the roller end toward the bundle center inclined in thedirection opposite to the bundle movement.

S. 5. The combination dened inv claim 4 wherein said rollers areprovided with a gripping surface for urging the bundle side flaps aroundthe bundle as the bundle moves in contact with the inclined rollers.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 116.21040 9/1961 Franket a153-230X 10 2,609,646 9/1952 Total 53-230 2,344,929 7/1953 Ringler 53-2303,153,303 10/1964 Yount 53-32 3,233,697' 3/1966 Zucker 53-230 GRANVILLEY. CUSTER, JR., Primary Examiner.

1. WRAPPING APPARATUS FOR FOLDING A WRAPPER SHEET ABOUT A BUNDLE AT AWRAPPING STATION, COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: (A) CONVEYOR MEANS FORMOVING A BUNDLE THROUGH A WRAPPING STATION; (B) A WRAPPER GUIDEPOSITIONED ADJACENT THE WRAPPING STATION, (1) AND HAVING MEANS FORMINGAN OPENING FOR PERMITTING A BUNDLE TO BE CONVEYED THERETHROUGH; (C)WRAPPER FEED MEANS FOR INTERMITTENTLY ADVANCING WRAPPER SHEET MATERIALTHROUGH SAID WRAPPER GUIDE; (D) A WRAPPER CUTTER POSITIONED ADJACENTSAID WRAPPER GUIDE COMPRISING, (1) A CUTTER MEMBER MOUNTED FOR MOVEMENTACROSS A WRAPPER IN SAID WRAPPER GUIDE, AND (2) TIMED MEANS FOR MOVINGSAID CUTTER MEMBER TO CUT SAID WRAPPER TO THE PROPER LENGTH; (E) A TOPPLATE SUSPENDED AT THE WRAPPING STATION, (1) SAID TOP PLATE BEINGUNIVERSALLY VERTICALLY MOVABLE BY A BUNDLE PASSING THEREUNDER; (F) FIRSTFOLD PADDLES URGED AGAINST EACH SIDE OF THE BUNDLE AS IT PASSES INTO THEWRAPPING STATION; (G) A LOWER SIDE FLAP FOLDER ON EACH SIDE OF THEBUNDLE AT THE WRAPPING STATION, (1) SAID LOWER FLAP FOLDERS BEINGRESILIENTLY URGED INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH LOWER FLAPS ON EACH SIDE OF THEBUNDLE FORMED AFTER ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID FIRST FOLD PADDLES, (2) MEANSON SAID LOWER FLAP FOLDERS FOR CONTINUALLY URGING THE LOWER FLAPS OF THEBUNDLE UPWARDLY ABOUT THE BUNDLE DURING ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH; (H) ANUPPER SIDE FLAP HOLDER MOUNTED ON SAID TOP PLATE ON EACH SIDE OF THEBUNDLE AT THE WRAPPING STATION, (1) SAID UPPER FLAP FOLDERS BEINGRESILIENTLY URGED INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH THE UPPER FLAPS ON EACH SIDE OFTHE BUNDLE FORMED AFTER ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID FIRST FOLD PADDLES, (2) ANDMEANS ON SAID UPPER FLAP FOLDERS FOR CONTINUALLY URGING THE UPPER FLAPSOF THE BUNDLE DOWNWARDLY AROUND THE BUNDLE DURING ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH.